Shillong to Have 5-Star Taj Hotel

By Supratim Dey

Kolkata/ Guwahati Apr 2 : Close on the heels of setting up a 5-star hotel in Guwahati, the Taj Group is now exploring the possibility of setting up another such hotel in Meghalaya. Vice president of Taj Hotel Resort and Palaces Rajiv Gujral had a meeting with Meghalaya chief minister DD Lapang in this regard recently.

Sources said that Gujral discussed the “prospect” of setting up a 5-star hotel “in and around” Shillong, the picturesque hill station. It is learnt that Lapang has asked the Taj Group to submit a formal proposal, indicating the places where it would be interested in making investments.

Due to gradual increase in business activities in Shillong, Gujral said that it was a “lucrative” place for investment in various sectors. However, he cited the absence of proper infrastructure for private sector to invest in the state. Sources said that Gujral has agreed to submit investment proposals soon and has asked for assistance of the state government in this regard.

The foundation stone of the Rs 95-crore 5-star hotel in Guwahati by Taj Group, Taj Vivanta, was laid by Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on March 9 in the presence of Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons, among others.

The hotel will come up at Khanapra on GS Road, and would be spread over 4.5 acres. It is expected to be commissioned within two years.

Cultural Fest 'Octave 2010' Concludes in Kolkata

Kolkata, Apr 1 : A three-day cultural festival, 'Octave 2010', showcasing northeastern cultural heritage, has concluded in Kolkata.

The festival was organized by the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) between March 29 and March 31.

Over 200 dancers, musicians, crafts persons from Arunachal Pradesh , Assam , Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland , Sikkim and Tripura were participated in the event.

"Here in EZCC we were organized a programme called 'Octave', where we were presented the folk art and the culture of the north eastern states.

There were eight northeastern states as we know, but many of us don't know about the richness of their culture. So we have arranged the programme. Here we were presented folk dances of all the eight northeastern states. In addition to that, we have also organized a fashion parade," said Dr. Jayanta Sthanapati, Director of the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC).

Handicrafts from all the northeastern states were put on display at the stalls.

"I liked coming here. There is a lot to see at the stalls. There are traditional costumes of all the northeastern states; there is a lot of bamboo handicraft. It is all very good," said Deepti Raha, a visitor.

Participants from these states performed traditional folk dances.

A fashion show was also held where traditional garments of the northeastern states were showcased.

Assam Comes on India Inc Radar

By Madhumita Mookerji & Nandini Goswami

Kolkata, Apr 1 : The Northeast was never high on the corporate radar because of its insurgency-related issues and lack of infrastructure.

But things are changing now. Assam seems to be the next big-ticket investment destination for corporate if one scans the member list of the state’s newly-formed investment advisory board.

The state is wooing investments worth Rs 100,000 crore over the next five years and around Rs 35,000 crore alone could be channeled into river ways with 20 ports planned from Dhubri to Dibrugarh.

Development is slated to take place in six key areas — infrastructure, agri and agri-value-added services, housing, healthcare, education.

The entire development is proposed to be non/low carbon and all the major infrastructure players could be roped in.

Tatas alone, said sources, could bring in large investments in the state. It is learnt that Tata Housing has recently signed two MoUs with the Assam state government for setting up commercial and residential projects that will include an eco-city in which investments could go up to Rs 5,000 crore. DNA caught up with various government officials and corporate houses for a closer view of things.

Ranjit Barthakur, who pioneered the Assam Investment Advisory Board, said, “The Tatas are likely to invest another Rs 300-400 crore in their education and hospitality projects…The first Tata Institute of Social Sciences campus outside Mumbai is coming up in Guwahati.”

Guwahati’s first five-star hotel, Vivanta by Taj group is also on the anvil. In fact, Tata Group head, during first Assam Investment Advisory Board meet earlier this month, said: “We are here by choice…we have been attracted to the tremendous change seen in Assam…”

A number of frontline hospitality brands are also eyeing this north-eastern state.

Vindi Banga, president, global foods, home and personal care, Unilever, told DNA: “HUL will help out on a project to improve the quality, productivity and sustainability of the tea plantations in Assam, which are a state asset…HUL’s personal products factory today produces about 40,000 tonnes, employs 700 people directly and creates indirect employment for about 3,000 people. Most of our raw material for this factory is procured locally, from around 50 suppliers, most of whom are first generation suppliers for us.”

According to a State Bank of India official, “The financial giant is looking to increase its lending exposure, once big-ticket investors are in place here.” The bank has expanded rapidly over the last two years in the North-East, with around 520 branches, of which 263 are in Assam alone.

Aditya Khaitan, managing director, McLeod Russel, said, “We produce 72 million kg of tea from 50 tea estates in Assam and have started making other investments like jatropha planting. At some point, we could think of oil refining as well.”

Mizoram Hopes to Upstage Shillong as The New Education Destination

High literacy state dreams big

New learning curve

Aizawl, Apr 1: Mizoram is planning to build an education empire, making its sterling literacy rate the capital.

The Congress government is planning to turn the hill state into the new education hub of the Northeast, upstaging Shillong, which has so far been the learning destination, by establishing a number of institutes.

Mizoram minister for education and law Lalsawta today said over telephone from Aizawl that these new institutes would aim at drawing students from various states of the Northeast, apart from neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.

He said among a fresh crop of “classy” higher educational centres, which the Mizoram government has proposed to set up, are a National Institute of Technology (NIT) and a university in collaboration with a group of education entrepreneurs from Singapore.

At present, Mizoram only has a Central University, which has its campus in Thanril, a bustling new neighborhood of Aizawl.

Currently, the Northeast boasts of only two NITs — one in the Silcoorie area on the southern fringes of Silchar and another in Agartala.

Lalsawta said four more polytechnic colleges would also spring up in the state with central grants.

Mizoram now has two government polytechnics — one in Aizawl and another in Lunglei, the second most populous town in the state’s southern flanks, bordering Myanmar.

Regarding the new NIT in Mizoram, the education minister said its entire cost would be borne by the Centre.

The site and the possible cost of this new institute are yet to be planned, and a team of specialists has been engaged to arrive at a consensus on the issue.

Lalsawta said a few sites in and around Aizawl town are now being considered for the proposed NIT.

The NIT in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has been given the responsibility to act as the intermediary for building the model, formulating subjects and courses and estimating the possible costs for establishing the high-tech NIT in Mizoram.

To begin with, Rs 100 crore will be pumped in to raise the infrastructure for the institute, the minister said.

A team of the educational entrepreneurs from Singapore had also visited the state and met state chief minister Lalthanhawla to discuss the possibility of setting up of the second university in Mizoram, which Lalsawta said would be named after Rajiv Gandhi.

The team would make some more trips to Mizoram before evolving a blueprint for the new university.

[ via The Telegraph India ]

All Rescued Kids in Tamil Nadu From Zeme tribe

By Dhananjay Mahapatra

New Delhi, Apr 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a thorough probe into the alleged incidents of child trafficking from Northeastern states by missionaries. Additional solicitor-general Indira Jaising said from the sketchy police report, majority of the children rescued from "homes" run by missionaries in Tamil Nadu appeared to be minor girls.

A bench comprising CJI K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan issued notices to Manipur and Assam governments, seeking their response to the serious issue of trafficking.

The SP, Kanyakumari district, in his affidavit, informed the apex court that on a tip-off, the child welfare inspection committee visited 'Bethesda Blessing Ministries Home' at Plavilai, Kaliyakkavilai, run by Pastor Shaji and found 76 children in squalid conditions.

Kanyakumari SP informed SC that all children belonged to 'Zeme' tribe in Manipur and Assam and that Rev Paul belonged to the same community. "Due to poverty, parents of these children entrusted them to Rev Paul on the promise that he would provide better education and healthcare to them," the SP said.

Bumkini: A Lift For Your Booty

Bottoms up! The 'bumkini' that promises to transform your derriere

Saggy bottoms can now be given an instant lift - with a bra designed for the buttocks.

The Biniki, worn under pants, holds up the bottom giving it a firm look  to rival even curvy stars Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce - known for their toned derrieres.

The device was invented by Californian psychologist Dr Karin Hart after she lost weight and started to lose shape in her behind.

Peachy: The Biniki is worn under pants, holding up the bottom and giving it a firmer look, using a belt with adjustable hoops

She said she soon discovered there was no product on the market to cater for small or flat behinds.

The Biniki uses a belt around the waist with adjustable support hoops which loop under the buttocks to lift them up, making them look firm.

She has even created a male version called the Maniki and created variations that can be worn as thongs or under bathing costumes.

The Biniki features a firm support band around the waist to establish a secure anchoring and two attached adjustable straps for lifting.

It cannot be detected under most clothes and can be worn low on the hips.

Dr Hart said: 'When I lost some weight, I looked for a derriere lift in stores. Since I couldn't find one I decided to make something for myself to get the boost I wanted.

Bum deal: The Biniki promises to achieve the Jennifer Lopez, left, and Beyonce effect, who are famous for their stunning curves

'By wrapping a strip of adhesive tape around myself in different ways I found one that worked. The look it gave me was so nice I decided to make a few to wear under clothes.

She added: 'Most people would agree that the breasts and the buttocks look best when held high on the body. This motivates millions of women to wear a bra.

'There is an inconsistency though, because the backside looks good as well when high on the body, but there is no lift product.

'The derriere has panties, thongs, boy shorts and horizontally shaping compression, but no bra.'

Dr Hart has five issued US patents and international patents based on her designs.

She continued: 'Biniki is capable of emphasizing smaller, flatter derrieres, enhancing the silhouette with or without clothes and bring a new sense of confidence about how one looks in back.

'People with small or flat bottoms benefit greatly from this shape wear.'

As well as the Maniki, she has developed a Throng, a Biniki that can be worn as a thong but without the uncomfortable rear strap 

The Biniki costs £20 plus postage and can be ordered from Dr Hart's website, while she looks for a European distributor to sell her products in the UK.

For further information, visit www.biniki-fashions.com.

'Stand And Deliver' Teacher Jaime Escalante Dies

Jaime Escalante, the California mathematics teacher who’s work inspired the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, has passed away today at the age of seventy-nine, losing his battle with bladder cancer.

Escalantes is known for motivating struggling inner city students to exceed top national scores in advanced calculus.

“Escalante had proved that inner city students were able to perform at the highest level, and left an important legacy for American education.”

Full story at BBC.

Miss Barak is Sangita Phukan

Senapati (Manipur), Apr 1 : Twenty-one year old Sangita Phukan of Assam has been crowned as the Seven Sisters Miss Barak, 2010 in the contest which was held at the indoor stadium of Senapati district headquarters yesterday.

Sangita hails from Jorhat district, Assam.

Talking to media persons after being crowned the new Miss Barak, Sangita, who graduated in English last year and is still continuing her study, said that she aspires to become a well known writer.

Towards realizing her dream, Sangita has so far written and published two books.

Sangita said she would like to continue her literary journey to highlight problems afflicting the Northeast region, their root causes and the problem thereof.

The Miss contest was held as part of the Seven Sisters Barak Festival, 2010 organized by Youth Hope Foundation, Senapati under the sponsorship of 59 Mountain Brigade.

The theme of the festival was 'Peace through culture and identity'.

In all 14 contestants from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur participated in the contest.

The title of the first runner-up and the second runner-up has been respectively bagged by 19-yr old Himakshi Argawala of Guwahati, Assam, and 16-year old Sangrila Meisanam of Keishamthong Top Leirak, Imphal.

Along with the crown of new Miss Barak, 2010, Sangita received cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while the first and second runner-up were given Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.

Five jury members conducted the contest.

Other sub-title winners of the contest are Dibakmi-Best designer; Lungai Kim - Miss Congeniality; Himakshi Argawala - Miss Talent; Lijano Aoubum - Miss Catwalk; Sangrila Meisanam - Miss Photogenic; and Theiyaphi - Miss Perfect 10. Chairman of Hill Area Committee Thangminlien Kipgen, MLA of Tadubi A/C K Raina and GOC of 57 Mountain Division Maj Gen DS Hooda graced the function as chief guest, special guest and president respectively.

 

The Sangai Express

** ‘Barak Queen – Crown’ Pic courtesy Hueiyen Lanpao; Other pictures are exclusively owned by BCCL and Sinlung.com,